UAV Electrical Engineer

Swift Engineering; San Clemente (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance - 100% covered for Employees

Dental Insurance - 100% covered for Employees

Life Insurance - 100% covered by the company

401k with company match

Generous holiday calendar

16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave

Job summary

A leading aerospace engineering firm in California is looking for a UAV Electrical Engineer to design and integrate the electrical architecture of UAV systems. This role emphasizes collaboration within a high-performance engineering team and demands hands-on involvement in all phases of complex electrical systems. The ideal candidate will bring a strong electrical engineering background, ideally in UAVs, and demonstrate ownership in their projects. Attractive benefits and opportunities to work with cutting-edge technologies are offered.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in electrical engineering for UAVs, aerospace, robotics, or complex embedded systems.
• Strong experience with circuit board design, schematic capture, and layout.
• Ability to work effectively in a small, fast-paced, high-performance team environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate the complete electrical network of the UAV.
• Integrate and manage battery management systems (BMS) and power electronics.
• Support integration of onboard payloads and sensors.

Skills

Circuit board design

UAV communication systems

Power distribution

Battery systems

Self-motivated

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field

Job description

We are seeking a highly motivated UAV Electrical Engineer to design, integrate, and own the complete electrical architecture of advanced unmanned aerial vehicle systems. This role is critical to the performance, reliability, and scalability of the UAV platform and requires close collaboration with a small, high-performance engineering team.

The ideal candidate is hands-on, self-driven, and comfortable taking full ownership of complex electrical systems from concept through flight.

Salary Range: $130,000 to $150,000

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate the complete electrical network of the UAV
• Design and review custom circuit boards (PCB design) for avionics, power distribution, payloads, and communication systems
• Own all radio communication systems, including command & control, telemetry, and payload data links
• Integrate and manage battery management systems (BMS) and power electronics
• Support integration of onboard payloads and sensors
• Collaborate closely with avionics, software, mechanical, and systems engineering teams
• Support system integration, ground testing, and flight testing activities
• Perform troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and iterative design improvements
• Develop and maintain electrical documentation, schematics, wiring diagrams, and interface definitions

What we Offer

• Full system ownership and technical leadership responsibility
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge UAV platforms
• Collaborative, high-performance engineering culture
• Direct impact on vehicle capability and mission success

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering
• 5+ years of experience in electrical engineering for UAVs, aerospace, robotics, or complex embedded systems
• Strong experience with circuit board design, schematic capture, and layout
• Solid understanding of UAV communication systems and RF integration
• Experience with power distribution, power electronics, and battery systems
• Ability to work effectively in a small, fast-paced, high-performance team environment
• Self-motivated, proactive, and capable of owning systems end-to-end

Preferred Qualified

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field
• Familiarity with solar power systems, energy harvesting, or long-endurance platforms
• Experience with avionics integration and EMI/EMC considerations
• Background in UAV, aerospace, or high-reliability systems
• Experience supporting flight test and operational deployments
• 9/80 Schedule
• Medical Insurance
• Vision Insurance - 100% covered for Employees
• Dental Insurance - 100% covered for Employees
• Life Insurance - 100% covered by Swift, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• 401k with company match
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December, and highly competitive PTO plans.
• 16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting.

About Swift Engineering

If you’re passionate about engineering, innovation and making a difference, we invite you to join the Swift Engineering family. Together, we are shaping the future of aerospace and creating technologies that will change the world.